Strat selector switch

[FLstratguy]

Can anyone tell me for certain how does the five way selector switch on a Fender Stratocaster work? In other words which position turns on and off which of the three pickups?

[johnmay]

Here's my understanding, assuming you have a 5 way switch:

Position 1, closest to the bridge, enables the bridge pickup only.
Position 2, one step closer to the neck, enables both the bridge and the middle pickup.
Position 3 enables the middle pickup only.
Position 4 enables both the middle and the neck pickup.
Position 5, closest to the neck, enables the neck pickup only.

A three way switch only has positions 1, 3, and 5.

The position numbers are not "official" position numbers, I just used them for illustration.

John

[FLstratguy]

Thanks John. So if I understand correctly, at no time are all three pickups active?

[CSchlegel]

Can anyone tell me for certain how does the five way selector switch on a Fender Stratocaster work? In other words which position turns on and off which of the three pickups?
johnmay gave you the correct info. Good job & thanks! :)

We have video lessons ocvering this issue:

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=365
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=526

Hope this helps.

[johnmay]

FLStratguy,

You're correct, all 3 pickups will never be active at the same time.

And the tutorials CSchlegel posted are great. It's how I originally learned the answer to your question. :)

John

[Itsmesilly]

I recently was at Guitar Center checking out a american standard strat....and the sales girl showed me another strat ( still a fender ) it was a strat with a swucth called an S-1 swicth. basically you have the 5 way switch as normal but when you depress one of the tone knobs...you get even more combinations out of the pick ups. I didnt have too much time to mess around with it but seemed interesting.
you can google fender s-1 switch and get a lot of things to read.

[FLstratguy]

Thanks everyone!